Who's the best non-UFC lightweight?

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"Inside MMA" poll results: Such is the case with all five ofits weight classes, the UFC has a stronghold on the world's toplightweight fighters, though its grip isn't as firm as it with, say,the welterweight and light heavyweight divisions.So when"Inside MMA" and MMAjunkie.com teamed up for our latest poll question-- Who is the best non-UFC lightweight fighter? -- we had a solid castof seven internationally known fighters from which readers could choose.Duringthe most recent edition of "Inside MMA," which airs each Friday onHDNet, the results were revealed. And two 155-pounders rose above therest. One is a familiar favorite; the other has experienced a breakoutyear in 2008.When all the votes were tallied, it was anear-deadheat for the top spot. Former PRIDE champion and current WorldVictory Road star Takanori Gomi led the way with 34.0% percent of thevote, but former EliteXC contender (and potential UFC target) EddieAlvarez was right on his heels with 33.5% of the vote.In fact, just 26 votes separated the two fighters.Comingin third place was 2008 DREAM lightweight grand prix runner-up andShooto champion Shinya Aoki (11.0%), Strikeforce world lightweightchamp Josh Thomson (9.5%), DREAM lightweight grand prix winner JoachimHansen (6.0%), former Strikeforce title-holder Glibert Melendez (5.0%)and previous Shooto champion Tatsuya Kawajiri (1.0%).Don'tforget to vote in this week's poll, available on the MMAjunkie.comhomepage: "Which of the following areas is going to play the biggestfactor in the UFC 91 main event of Randy Couture vs. Brock Lesnar?"The results will be revealed on next week's edition of "Inside MMA."